Valve gear



Patented Sept. 29, 1 925.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. BLUNT AND JOSHUA J. JONES, F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

VALVE GEAR.

Application filed July 3,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES G. BLUNT and JOSHUA J. J ONES, both ofSchenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of 5 New York, havejointly invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Valve Gears, ofwhich improvement the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to valve gears for three cylinder fluid pressureengines, and is an improvement on that for which Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 946,083 were granted and issued to Harry S. Vincent,under date of January 11, 1910. As

in the valve gear of said Letters Patent, the movements of thedistribution valve of the central cylinder are derived from acombination of the motions of the distribution valves of the two outercylinders by which a correct resultant motion for the distribu* tionvalve of the central cylinder is obtained.

The object of our invention is to provide a valve gear of the type abovespecified which will be of simple and inexpensive construction, and inwhich the original setting and necessary periodic adjustments of thedistribution valve of the central cylinder may be accurately effected.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side view, in elevation, ofa valve gear embodying our invention; Fig. 2, a plan or top view; Fig.3, an end view; Fig. 4, a plan view of the outer portion of the leversupporting appliance of the central cylinder; Fig. 5, a side view,partly in section, of the same; Fig. 6, an outer end view; Fig. 7, aplan view of the knuckle connection of one of the side cylinderdistribution valve stems; Fig. 8, a side view of the same; and, Fig. 9,an outer end view, partly in section.

Our invention is, as in Letters Patent N 0. $416,083 aforesaid, hereinexemplified-as applied in a three cylinder single expansion locomotiveengine, having a central cylinder, 1, and two side cylinders, 1 1 inwhich locomotive the distribution valves, 2 2*, of the two outercylinders, 1*, 1 are actuated b ordinary VValschaerts valve gears, eachof which comprises an eccentric crank, 4, eccentric rod, 5, link, 6,radius bar, 7 and lap and lead lever, 8, to which gears, the valvestems, 3 3 of the valves, 2 2 are connected, in the usual manner,

1922. Serial No. 572,626.

In the practice of our invention, referring descriptively to thespecific embodiment thereof which is herein exemplified, thedistribution valves, 2*, 2 of the two outer or side cylinders, 1 1 arereciprocated, in the usual manner, by the valve mechanism abovedescribed, or by any similarly operating known and preferred valve gear,and the resultant of their movements is' imparted to the distributionvalve, 2, 0f the central cylinder, 1, by two transversely ex tendingdouble armed levers, 13 and 13 a longer and a shorter one, to which allthree of the valve stems, 3, 3 3 are connected. The arms of the longerlever, 13, are of unequal length, and the longer arm is coupled, by aknuckle construction hereinafter described, to the stem of thedistribution valve of one of the outer cylinders, in this instance, thevalve stem, 3. The lever, 13, is itself coupled, by a pin, 14, to alever support, 15, secured to a bracket, 15, which is formed integralwith the forward head, 1, of the central cylinder, 1. The shorter lever,

13 is coupled, at the middle of its length,

by a pin, 14?, to the shorter arm of the lever, 13, and its arms arecoupled, by knuckle constructions similar to that at the end of thelonger arm of the lever, 13, to the valve stem, 3, of the centralcylinder, and, in this instance, to the valve stem, 3 respectively.

It is a well recognized fact, that in order to avoid leaks and unduewear, the valves should be reciprocated on straight lines, and as theends of the levers, 13 and 13, necessarily move in slightly curvedpaths, in order to avoid the objections of applying intermediate linksbetween the levers and valve stems, the valve stems are coupled to thelevers by knuckle constructions, which are shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Ajaw, 16, is secured to the outer end of each of the valve stems 3, 3'and 3 as by a key, 16*, and is drilled vertically to receive a pin, 17,which is drilled horizontally to receive a cylindrical bearing, 13formed on an end of the lever, 13 or 13 as the case may be, to which thevalve stem is coupled. A removable bushing, 13, is preferably fitted onthe bearing, 13 and undesired detachment of the lever from the pin, 17is prevented by a nut, 13", engaging a thread on the end of the lever.The pin, 17, is held in the jaw, 16, by its engagement with the lever,13 or 13 It will be seen that the freedom of movement in two directions,afforded by the knuckle construction, obviates interference with thenormal straight reciprocating movements of the valve stem.

It is well known to those skilled in the art of locomotive construction,that extreme accuracy is required in fitting valve gears to avoid errorsin the setting of the valve of the central cylinder, and that aftersetting, periodic adjustments are required by reason ofunavoidable wearof bearings, etc. To facilitate the original setting and periodicadjustments, as well as to provide a firm and conveniently locatedsupport for the levers, the supporting bracket, 15, has been madeintegral with the front head, 1, of the central cylinder, 1, and thelever support proper, 15, Figs. l, 5 and (3, is connected detacliablythereto. Horizontal adjustments may be readily and accurately made bythe insertion of liners, 15 of proper thickness, between the bracket andlever support, and vertical adjustments may be effected by the insertionof liners, 15 be tween a shoe, 15, interposed between the bottom 'of thelever and the lower jaw of the lever support, 15

We claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a three cylinder fluid pressure en gine, having one central andtwo side cylinders, the combination of the distribution valve stems ofsaid cylinders; vibratory levers, connecting said valve stems; and meansfor supporting said levers on the forward head of the central cylinder.

2; In a three cylinder fluid pressure engine, having one central and twoside cylinders, the combination of the distribution valve stems of saidcylinders; vibratory levers, connecting said valve stems; means forsupporting said levers on the forward head of the central cylinder; andmeans for taking up vertical and horizontal wear between said supportingmeans and the lever carried thereon.

3. In a three cylinder fluid pressure engine, having one central and twoside cylinders; the combination of the forward head of the centralcylinder; and a lever supoortin bracket formed inte' 'ral with saidhead.

4. in a three cylinder fluid pressure engine, having one central and twoside cylinders, the combination of the forward head of the centralcylinder; a supporting bracket, formed integral with said head; and alever support, deta'chably connected to said supporting bracket.

JAMES G. BLUNT. JOSHUA J. JONES.

